Bougainvillea is a flowering tropical vine. It adds bold color to the home landscape, with large purple, red, golden yellow, or white blooms produced in spring and summer. Bougainvillea grows best in areas with mild winters and little freezing. It cascades over walls and fences, but can also be trained as a small single-trunk tree for use in containers. Bougainvillea is planted in the garden from nursery-produced plants as the seeds are slow to germinate.

Bougainvillea is a genus of 14 species of evergreen shrubs and trees, sometimes thorny climbers, from forest and thickets in tropical and subtropical South America. They are grown for their small, tubular flowers, each surrounded by 3 colorful, petal-like bracts, borne in large, axillary and terminal clusters. Where not hardy, they should be grown in a temperate greenhouse; elsewhere, they may be used on a pergola, arbor, arch, or a house wall. There are two common verieties: Bougainvillea buttiana and Bougainvillea glabra. Bougainvillea buttiana is a vigorous, evergreen climber with ovate, mid-green leaves, to 3in long, lighter below. Large clusters of strongly wavy floral bracts, in shades of golden yellow, purple, or red, are produced mainly from summer to autumn. They grow 25-40ft tall. Bougainvillea glabra is a strong-growing, evergreen climber with elliptic, semi-glossy, mid to deep green leaves. Slightly wavy, white to magenta floral bracts are borne mainly from summer to autumn. They grow 15-25ft tall.

Care Tips

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in soil-based potting mix in full light. From spring to autumn, water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly; keep just moist in winter. Pot on or top-dress in late winter. Outdoors, grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Some leaves may be lost. When pruning, “spur prune” by cutting back side-shoots to within 3 to 4 buds of permanent framework. Prune annually after flowering, if flowering on previous year’s growth, or in late winter or early spring, if flowering on current year’s growth.

Pests and Diseases

Under glass, very prone to spider mites and white flies. Leaf cutters and rollers, and aphids can be problems. Bacterial and fungal leaf spots are also common.